Back-to-back-to-back flight cancellations rankle Swoop passengers

Medical and mechanical issues combined to force cancellations of three straight low-cost flights from Halifax to Hamilton.

The cancellations meant dozens of passengers expecting to fly with WestJet’s Swoop carrier on Saturday instead spent nearly 48 hours in and around Halifax Stanfield International Airport, unsure when they would be able to take off.

Keith Ferguson had planned on spending the weekend visiting his son on Ontario and returning to Nova Scotia on Tuesday.

“We’ll have to cancel the trip,” he said.

According to a spokesperson for Swoop, Saturday’s flight was cancelled because of mechanical issues. It was rescheduled for Sunday morning, but then cancelled again due to a flight attendant suffering an ear infection. Another flight attendant was brought in and the trip rescheduled for Sunday afternoon – only for more mechanical issues to flare up.

“It’s never our intention for any of our travellers to feel like we’ve left them stranded,” Karen McIsaac told CTV Atlantic.

The airline offered refunds to affected passengers. People who opted to continue with their travel plans were placed on a flight which left Halifax early Monday morning – nearly 48 hours after their original planned departure.